金刚界

(sa) vajradhātu, 金界 The 'diamond', or (sa) vajra, element of the universe; it is the 智 wisdom of Vairocana in its indestructibility and activity; it arises from the (sa) garbhadhātu 胎藏界q.v., the womb or store of the Vairocana 理 reason or principles of such wisdom, v. 理智. The two, (sa) garbhadhātu and (sa) vajradhātu, are shown by the esoteric school, especially in the Japanese Shingon, in two (sa) maṇḍalas, i.e. groups or circles, representing in various portrayals the ideas arising from the two, fundamental concepts. (sa) vajradhātu is intp. as the 智 realm of intellection, and (sa) garbhadhātu as the 理 substance underlying it, or the matrix; the latter is the womb or fundamental reason of all things, and occupies the eastern position as 'cause' of the (sa) vajradhātu, which is on the west as the resultant intellectual or spiritual expression. But both are one as are Reason and Wisdom, and Vairocana (the illuminator, the 大日 great sun) presides over both, as source and supply. The (sa) vajradhātu represents the spiritual world of complete enlightenment, the esoteric (sa) dharmakāya doctrine as contrasted with the exoteric (sa) nirmāṇakāya doctrine. It is the sixth element 識 mind, and is symbolized by a triangle with the point downwards and by the full moon, which represents 智 wisdom or understanding; it corresponds to 果 fruit, or effect, (sa) garbhadhātu being 因 or cause. The 金剛王五部 or five divisions of the (sa) vajradhātu are represented by the Five (sa) dhyāni-buddhas, thus: centre 大日Vairocana; east 阿閦 Akṣobhya; south 寶生Ratnasambhava; west 阿彌陀 Amitābha; north 不 空 成就 Amoghasiddhi, or Śākyamuni. They are seated respectively on a lion, an elephant, a horse, a peacock, and a (sa) garuda. v. 五佛; also 胎.